All That Was
by Devil Woman
Summary: Told from the point of view of the Engineer's wife Irene, we get a glimpse on how she and everyone's favorite Texan gun for hire met and how she handles the fact that her husband is a mercenary for BLU.
1. Prologe

All That Was

By Devil Woman

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Team Fortress 2. It is copyrighted by Valve.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would like to give a quick shout out to author ChaosandMayhem for giving me the inspiration for this story. If you haven't already, go check the story _Eight Mercenaries and a Toddler_, written by said author; you'll be glad you did. Anyway, this is my first foray into TF2 fan fiction territory, so go easy on me. Also, try not to get too nit-picky about the details; the whole point is to get a perspective on what is must feel like to know someone whose basic job is to kill people 24/7 and how it affects your relationship with them, not dwell on weather I got the time period right and so forth.

…..

Prologue

Irene just stared at the shoebox she had pulled out from her closet. It was well worn and faded from the numerous times she had taken it out and opened it, but it was surprisingly still sturdy. The logo had long since faded, but the name still lingered in her memory the day she had purchased the shoes she was now wearing on her tired, aching feet.

"Predictions." she said. Irene huffed after muttering the word. _I would have never predicted him leaving so soon. I mean, he just got here and now all of a sudden, he has to leave again! Fucking job._ But that was normal now, especially since things down at Teufort heated up again. The Brothers Mann that owned the land where just as childish now as they were when Irene was first introduced to them years ago. Fighting over a piece of dirt; dear lord men can be such idiots!

Irene kicked off her shoes, happy to have a little instant relief from her sore feet. Still dressed in her business skirt and button-down shirt, she had been home for a few hours and really should have started dinner a half hour ago. She decided she wasn't hungry and made it a priority to pull out the shoebox full of letters and organize them (a task Irene had herself been putting on the back burner for quite some time). A tiny, if not significant thought came to her: _Don't read them, you'll only make yourself miserable._ Yes, yes it was true, but Irene found comfort in being in misery, she deduced. So, she pulled out the first letter and skimmed over it quickly, hoping the small, buzzing notion could be proven wrong.

_My dearest Irene, how are you..._

_It sure is hot as hell here in the desert…_

_I have all the supplies I need to craft anything mechanical…_

_That Demoman is always drinking…_

_I saw a beautiful sunset, reminded me of you…_

It was then that Irene stopped, feeling melancholy. The annoying truth was right; it was making her feel depressed. _No! I must fight it!_ Irene then started to suppress the uncomfortable emotion with something more pleasant: a memory of when they first met. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Hey, Irene! Wait up!"

Irene Burrows turned to see Jill, her best friend since high school, running toward her. When Jill finally caught up to her, she paused to catch her breath, heaving deeply. "Irene…you…walk…too…fast…" Jill started to say, not quite pulled together as one would be after sprinting halfway across the campus grounds. "No, you were too busy ogling at Bobby Jackson while I managed to slip by you undetected. Besides, I want to get to my next class before it starts to rain."

She could smell the rain in the air and judging from the increasingly darkening grey clouds, a rain shower was coming any minute. No sooner than mentioning this, the rain came pouring down. Irene motioned toward the entrance of one of the academic buildings and Jill nodded in agreement. Both girls raced inside and shut the door quickly. Once inside, Irene noticed her reflection in one of the many trophy cases littered throughout the hall and sighed. Her red hair, once smooth and flat, was now wet and frizzy as it was starting to dry under the heat that was being blasted from overhead.

"Great, my hair's gonna frizz out like no tomorrow." she muttered, trying to smooth out her frizzes but to no avail.

"At least our clothes will be dry thanks to the heat." Jill said as she smoothing out her shirt to make sure it wasn't going to wrinkle once it was dry.

Irene smiled. "So, what's so important that made you sprint to find me?"

"Uh, let's see…" Jill was trying to remember. "Oh! You were telling me how you needed to see Professor Hill to clarify you about tonight's math homework. Well, he left for the day."

"Damn." Irene cursed under her breathe. Calculus in high school was pretty much a cakewalk (for the most part), but now being in college, some of the equations where like a foreign language, and Irene wasn't going through the trouble of that again. Taking French in high school was bad enough.

"I know, but Allen told me to tell you to go ask Dell Conagher about it. That guy's a freakin' genius when it comes anything mathematical!"

"Not surprised since he's an engineering major, among other things." Irene had heard from other students that Dell was an over achiever and already earned quite a few PhDs since attending college here in Canada several years before either she or Jill had entered school. In fact, Dell was around the same age as the both of them, even though he had been in college since he was 15. Jill wrinkled her nose.

"He always reeks of car oil and god knows what else; been hanging around the greasers too much. Well, if you still need to talk to him about the assignment, you'll find him where he is most of time between classes: in the campus garage, tinkering away at some machine no doubt."

"Alright, thanks for the tip Jill. I'll be going now so I'll see you back at the dorms in a bit."

"OK, just don't get too wet or you'll melt like the Wicked Witch from the West!"

Irene chuckled and waved goodbye to Jill before setting off toward the campus garage. It was located one to two buildings from where she was, but Irene knew of a shortcut that would cut her walking time in half (and not to mention keep her dry from the rain).

Within a few minutes, Irene was at the garage, scanning the scene for Dell. The area was filled with a variety of car parts, tool cases and whatever else one could need. Several work benches where scattered about, each filled with various tools and other equipment on top of them. Since there was no direct heat connected to the garage, it was always chilly in the building, despite the student and the faculty bringing in portable heaters to try and make the space more comfortable. _Damn, it's cold! Where the hell is Dell; I wanna leave so that I can get to class on time!_ The radio in the garage was playing some rock song, which only echoed even more loudly since there was no one else in the room.

Suddenly, Irene heard a loud clang of something metallic fall onto the concrete floor. "Dangnabit!" a male voice shouted. _That must be Dell._ she determined. Walking over to where she heard the clang came from, Irene saw a man hunched over what appeared to be some type of engine (or furnace, she couldn't tell the difference). The man wore dirty blue coveralls and stained brown work boots. His sandy blonde hair was slightly tousled on account a pair of goggles where wrapped around his head.

"Excuse me, are you Dell Conagher?" Irene asked; only to have the radio drown her out. Immediately, she nudged the man's shoulder, to which he quickly tilted his head up to see her standing behind him. Still wearing the goggles, Irene thought he looked like some sort of bug. He got up from his workspace and turned the radio's volume down to a lower level. The man removed his goggles, making Irene notice his bright, blue eyes.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, are you Dell Conagher?"

"That's my name, what can I do for ya?"

"Well, I'm Irene Burrows from Calculus I. We haven't met, but I was told that you're pretty good at solving complex equations."

"True, but I don't like ta brag. I take it you need some help on Professor Hill's assignment. He always gives out difficult papers."

"Help is an understatement this time around; it's more like I need a guide to get me out of this jungle." Irene quipped.

"OK then Miss Irene; I'll guide you out of the jungle. Let's take a look at what Professor Hill's cooked up this time." Dell said as he removed his gloves. He went over to a nearby workbench and cleared some space for Irene to put her binder down. After spending sometime going over the assignment, Irene closed her book.

"Thanks a lot Dell. I wouldn't have gotten those equations on my own. The way you explained them was so much clearer than when Professor Hill taught them."

"Aw, nuthin' to it. Besides, this is breeze compare to what I'm studying now." Irene's eyes widened with disbelief. "If this is a breeze, then what exactly are you studying?"

"Uh, well, I…I'm on a, sorta…excelled program right now with Professor Hill, so…" Dell was trying to not to sound boastful and Irene sense he didn't really want to talk about it. "No, no, it's OK. You don't have to explain it to me if you don't want to." Irene said, quickly trying to change the subject. She eyed the metallic object Dell had been working on.

"What's that, some sort of engine?" she pointed. "Oh that? That there's a little ol' project I've been working on for quite some time." Dell said. "Got some blue prints from my Dad 'n all and I are just trying to figure out just what the heck it is".

…..

Irene remembered how time just flew by once she got Dell to open up about himself. That day she had forgotten to go to class (as did Dell), but the two of them didn't seem to care; they were enjoying each other's company. In the freezing cold garage, the two of them go to know each other very well and found out they shared a lot of things in common. She had grown up in a small farming town, as did Dell, who told her about his hometown of Bee Cave, Texas. The two of them laughed over cow tipping, longed for home-cooked BBQ and became saddened over missing the stars on a clear night.

Within several months after they began their friendship, Dell had the courage to ask Irene out on a date and she agreed. Secretly, she had been hoping Dell was going to ask her out, since she had now developed a crush on him. Subconsciously, Irene started skimming though another of Dell's letters.

_Hi Honey, how've ya been…_

_I swear they are runnin' us ragged…_

Running us ragged…Irene smiled at that line, suddenly remembering the night she took Dell out to see the stars.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They had been dating for a little over a year or so when Irene learned just how committed Dell was to his studies. She had learned early on that not only was Dell quite an over achiever, he was actually doing a triple major! Granted a double major was hard enough, but a triple major…that was just unheard of! Never less, Dell reassured her that he was remaining grounded.

"Don't worry your pretty little head off. I've got this covered." he said and smiled.

"Alright, but I'm warning you: If I see you hit rock-bottom, I'll take matters into my own hands."

"You drive a hard bargain, but I accept, Honey Bee." Dell replied, giving her a quick kiss before heading off to his next class. Honey Bee…that was Dell's nickname for Irene. While she appreciated it, she knew that this honey bee would have to use her stinger very soon.

A week or so later, Irene had heard from Dell's roommate Chuck that Dell had finally hit the wall and became too overwhelmed with his schoolwork. "He's slumped over his desk, muttering to himself since this weekend. I tried to snap him outta it, but no such luck. You're his girlfriend, so maybe you have a shot at getting him out of his stupor?" "I'll try, but I can't guarantee any promises" Irene told him and quickly made hast to Dell's dorm.

When she opened the door to the room, Irene was in shock. Normally, the room was in somewhat immaculate condition, but now it had the appearance of a war zone. Papers, books and various school supplies where scattered all over the tiny bedroom. Dell was just as Chuck said: flopped over his desk babbling to himself, making very little sense. His sandy blonde hair, normally shiny, clean and combed back and parted neatly, was dull, messy and greasy looking. Luckily for her, Dell's body order wasn't as strong as she feared. Irene gently tapped his shoulder. "Honey, its Irene. Are you OK?"

_What a stupid question to ask!_ she scolded to herself. Dell didn't seem to notice how oblivious the question was and stopped talking. He looked up and saw Irene's concerned face.

"Oh. Hi Irene." he said softly. "What brings you here?"

"Chuck said he's worried that you burnt yourself out. He asked me to check up on you."

Dell sighed and slowly lifted himself up straight. A small red mark appeared on his right cheek from lying atop his notebook. Rubbing the back of his neck, he stretched and let out a small moan before answering Irene.

"I'm doin' fine. I just have ta…" Dell started but once he glanced at the mounds of paperwork, he fell silent. "I'm screwed."

"OK Tex, time to go." Irene wasn't taking any chances with Dell, since she knew he would go right back to being a babbling idiot of she allowed him to get back to his work. She grabbed his arm and proceeded to lead Dell toward the door. He hesitated.

"Naw, I can't! I have theses to complete, equations to solve, diagrams to construct!"

"I can see that, but you've been cooped up for some time now and some fresh air will do ya good."

Dell started to protest, but Irene only glared at him, as if daggers where coming out of her dark green eyes. Quickly taking note, Dell decided to keep his mouth shut and listen to Irene. She was as sweet and a honey bee, but when she was mad, oh boy! You did not want to be at the end of that stinger! After washing up, changing into a fresh set of clothes and combing his hair, Dell grabbed a light-weight jacket and followed Irene outside to the campus parking lot. As she got into the driver's side of Dell's blue pick-up truck, he winced. Irene just glared at him with disbelief.

"What, you don't think I can drive Bessie?"

"Uh, I, uh…"

"Look, you know for a fact that I've been driving pick-ups since I was able to drive my Daddy's truck around the farm at the ripe old age of 12. I think 'am more than qualified to drive your truck."

Dell knew she was right, so he gave in. "Alright, but answer me this: Where are we goin'?"

"You'll soon find out. Get in and relax." Irene gave Dell a reassuring smile.

This didn't give Dell the answer he was hoping for, but he complied and got into the passenger's side. Irene then started the truck and with a few pumps on the gas pedal, they were off. They drove for about a half hour, far from the glaring lights of the small campus town and out into the open fields. Irene pulled the truck over and the two of them got out. Grabbing the spare blanket from the lo-side box in the truck's flatbed, Irene spread the blanket out on the ground. She sat down and told Dell to do the same.

"Remember when we first met how we both missed looking at the stars on a clear night? While you were busy being glued to your workbooks, I was driving around one night and found this spot right here to do some star gazing. Look up." she instructed. As Dell did, he let out a small gasp in awe at what he saw.

It was breathtaking; the night sky was blanketed in billions of crystal-clear white stars. Without the artificial light from the town, the stars above engulfed them, as of Dell and Irene were the last two people on Earth. Various patterns were scattered above them, from tiny, dimly lit pinholes to huge splatters that formed the arms of the Milky Way and constellations, it was just like being back home in Bee Cave. "Wow." was all Dell could muster.

"That was my first reaction when I first saw it too." Irene said.

"I…I don't know what to say…Thank you, I guess."

Irene smiled lovingly at Dell. "You're welcome. Now, let's just star gaze for a while."

They lay down next to one another on the blanket, taking in the beauty of the cosmos and holding hands for what seems like an eternity.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this chapter is on the short side; the next chapter will make up for it, as I had put some more time and thought into it.

Irene was so caught up in the memory of that starry night that she realized that it was well past 8 o'clock. The chimes from the clock in the living room rang loudly, snapping her back into reality. Gazing at the mess she had made with Dell's letters, she sighed. "I created a bigger mess than before." As she started to pick them up, he noticed that there was a small black box inside of the shoebox that contained the letters. It must have been covered by the bundles of letters Irene had been keeping for the last few years. Wondering what was inside of it; Irene picked up the box and opened it, now realizing what its contents where.

It was a pin in the shape of a honey bee. She had put it in the shoebox for safe keeping and had forgotten about it until now. Its body was made of faux yellow gems, accented with faux white gems for the stripes and wings. A shiny, black stone was used for its head. The pin itself was an everyday, run of the mill brooch, but it was beautifully crafted. Irene remembered the day Dell bought this for her.

…..

It was after she helped him get out his apathy state from the over load of school work he had at the time. They were walking past a jewelry store when the pin caught Irene's eye. Dell noticed her gazing at it and told her to wait a minute. He went inside the store and came back out a few minutes later; presenting Irene with the honey bee that had just been in the window display.

"Oh Dell, you didn't have to buy it!" she chided him, but he put a finger to her lips.

"Hush now, Honey Bee. We're about ta graduate soon an' I figured why wait to give you your gift when I could just give it to ya now."

"I appreciate your kindness, but really, you didn't have to buy me anything."

"Don't be so modest! After all that you've done fur me; you put up wid my behavior for the last few months and stayed by my side. No other girl would be so patient an' caring."

Dell did have a way with words. It was one of the many qualities she loved about him. Irene took the pin and placed it on her shirt. "How do I look?" she asked. "Beautiful as always." Dell told her as he took her into his arms and gave her a kiss on the lips.

…..

She couldn't remember the last time she had worn it. With renewed vigor, Irene went over to the dresser mirror and pinned the jeweled honey bee on her color. Irene touched it gingerly with care. "I'll always be your Honey Bee." she said with fondness.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Graduation came and went, although Dell still pursued academics full time (much to Irene's chagrin). However, Dell had paced himself properly and soon graduated with his 11th PhD. Irene and Dell soon decided to move in together afterwards, both looking forward to spending more quality time with one another. This was short lived, as Dell soon proposed taking their relationship a step further: marriage.

"Oh, I dunno…" Irene said, drying the last of the supper dishes. "I know we've been together for quite some time—"

"About five years." Dell stated.

"Yes, yes we have, but since you graduated from school, you promised you'd take a break and slow down ta spend more time with me. However, you've been leaving the house a lot more often and not coming home for what seems like days on end! It wasn't so bad when we were in college, but now it's getting out of hand! I know you tell me it's for business reasons, but I'm starting to have doubts."

Dell noticed Irene's quiet frustration; it was all over her face. It was true that he was getting more job offers and leaving for extended periods of time, but many of these offers weren't as clean-cut as he was telling Irene. So after the dishes where put away and the kitchen picked up, Dell called Irene into the living room. "My sweet Irene, I hafta come clean about somethin'." Dell said. Irene knew Dell was being serious. He often started any serious discussion with 'my sweet Irene'. "I'm all ears."

And Dell told her everything. He told Irene about being a mercenary for hire, about how he came from a long line of mercenaries and how he was now lined up to become the permanent replacement for the Builders League United (BLU) current engineer. He was guaranteed the position now that he had graduated from college. "If I want to be a good husband and possible father, I want to make sure I have a stable job." Dell explained, taking Irene's hand into his own.

Irene had remained quiet as she patiently listened to Dell. He took notice how silent she was and looked at her with a wanting eye, as if he was asking _what do you think of all this?_ "Can I have a few minutes?" Irene finally spoke. Dell nodded. She got up from the couch and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Dell was left to himself, with only his own thoughts to keep him company and waiting for Irene's answer.

With the bedroom door now closed, Irene sat down on the bed the two of them shared and sighed. From this new revelation that Dell had just told her, everything made sense now: all the times Dell came and went, the funds he "mysteriously" earned that allowed him to pay for school and now this apartment…It was great to see Dell had a permanent job in the field, but it wasn't what Irene had expected it to be. She also finally understood why Dell kept pressuring her to marry him: he needed her to support him and to be by his side. By having Irene as his wife, Dell had reason not to screw up at his job. Irene would be there to greet him at the door, to comfort him and love him no matter what. She did truly love him (hell, no one was perfect and Dell certainly had his faults), but now since finding out he was a mercenary, there where greater risks to consider. Would she be safe? Would her friends and family be safe? Would she have to be monitored by BLU to make sure she didn't accidently give out Dell's true identity? There where so many other questions Irene had rattling in her head, all of which couldn't answered right now.

She touched the honey bee pin on her shirt that Dell had given her all those years ago. _Your never gonna find a sweeter guy quite like him._ "True, but why does the one guy who is perfect for you just happens to be a gun for hire?" Irene rubbed the pin, as if it granted her the power to make the right decision. She meditated on the pros and cons of the situation for a few minutes longer and got up from the bed. She quietly opened the door and spied on Dell. He was still sitting on the couch, just as she left him. Twiddling his thumbs, he stared at a bottle of beer he had gotten from the fridge and opened, untouched on the coffee table and covered in condensation.

Irene took a deep breath and slowly walked up to Dell, who felt her presence and looked up at her, silently asking _so, what's your verdict?_ Irene took a seat next to Dell on the couch. The both of them remained quiet for some time before Irene gave Dell a long overdue embrace. "Yes." was all she needed to Dell, who gladly hugged her back as tight as he could.

…..

While in the midst of cleaning up her mess, the phone rang. Grunting an exasperated sigh, Irene ran to pick up the phone. It was her mother, calling from Alberta.

"Hi Honey, how are you?"

"Fine Mom."

"Why so cross? Did Dell do something to make you mad?"

"I wouldn't be lying if I said he didn't, but your half right. I was in the middle of cleaning when you called."

"He left unintentional again, didn't he?"

Irene remained silent. Her mother sighed. "I swear that job of his; can't go for two minutes without needin' him to fix somethin' that somebody else screwed up."

"Well, that's what you get when you're the head of the engineering department of a major cooperation, Mom."

When Dell and Irene first got married, they decided to not let her family know about his job as a mercenary. Luckily, the fact that he had a PhD in Engineering (not to mention ten other degrees to showcase) helped solve that conundrum. Every family has skeletons in their closet; adding one more wouldn't hurt.

"You were looking forward to having Dell home this time, especially since he doesn't know about the good news you received."

"The next time he calls from work I'll let him know…even though it would have been better if he was physically here and not just a voice over the phone."

"All good things come to those who wait." Irene's mother reassured her. After chatting nonsensically some more, Irene said goodbye and hung up the phone. She looked at her half clean, half messy floor. The letters where laid out in what appeared to be the shape of a hand. Irene smiled as she returned to the somewhat chaotic clutter. Upon looking at the mess once more, she quickly lost her smile, suddenly remembering the letter Dell had sent her long ago.

_I know I should be tellin' ya this in person, but…_

_I can't find the words, so I'm torn…_

_Maybe the following weekend I come home you'll see what I mean…_


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for all the favs/follows! I really hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter and this one; they were my favorite ones to write so far! Also, I had to do some research for some of the foreign language words that some of the characters used, so if there are any incorrect words, let me know and I'll fix them.

The day Dell left to go to Teufort for the first time was filled with mixed emotions. Excitement, Nervousness, Sadness and Curiosity where felt, but there were plenty of reassurances of phone call, care packages and letters. In order to be closer to Teufort, Irene managed to get a dual citizenship and was able to move to the U.S. and marry Dell. They settled in a typical suburban home, which provided only an hour commute for Dell's job. Irene was standing outside their home helping Dell pack his truck for his new venture.

After loading the cab, Irene and Dell gave each other lone last embrace before he set off. Dell recently had gone to the barber and had his hair cut. Gone was his somewhat shaggy, sandy blonde hair and in its place was a military-style buzz cut. Dell had always kept his facial hair in check, but even after a last minute shave, a 5 o'clock shadow was starting to show. Irene placed a hand on Dell's cheek, still warm from the shave.

"You look so handsome this morning."

"Aw, shucks Irene. You don't have ta beat around the bush." Dell said, blushing as he rubbed his freshly shaved head.

"I'm not!" she started to protest. "But it'll take me awhile to get used to this." she tapped Dell's head. He gave her a surprised look. "What, you told me not to beat around the bush."

"You're right." He gave her a gently smile. "Alright, kiss me before I start regrettin' goin' ta BLU."

Irene did so. The two of them gave each other one last, long hug before Dell hopped into his pickup. He started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. Irene watched him drive off; hoping things would turn out just fine. And for a while it was. Irene was busy with her new job as a substitute math teacher, but still relished the nights Dell called from BLU. Since most of the time their phone calls where monitored, Dell couldn't divulge a lot of information about his employer, but he did often talk about his teammates.

There was Scout, the youngest of the whole lot. He may be brash and annoying, but the lad was quick on his feet. The Soldier was as patriotic as Sam the Eagle from _The Muppets_, but man, did he know a thing or two about combat! The Demoman was constantly drinking (perhaps a little too much for Dell's liking) and yet somehow, the Scottish bloke could craft a dozen or so sticky bombs in under a minute, all while being clouded by booze. For a crazed doctor, the German Medic was quick to take action and help his teammates when they were down.

As large and intimidating as he was, the Heavy was, in fact, a "big ol' teddy bear" as Dell put it. He may be proficient in fire arms, but off the field he was warm and friendly. The French Spy was suave and debonair, but that only masked a rather sneaky and cleaver rogue, ready to swipe your intelligence and stab you in the back (literally). In contrast to the smooth and slinky Spy was the Sniper, a gruff loner who preferred to keep his distance from his teammates. However, when push came to shove, the lanky Australian would fire a bullet from his sniper rifle and make a clean kill, all while calmly sipping his coffee from his perch high above. But perhaps the one teammate Dell talked about the most was the mysterious Pyro. No one know who (or what gender) the fire happy mercenary was, but Dell had taken a shining to the fire bug.

"Everyone's afraid of Pyro." explained Dell over the phone to Irene. "But once ya get to know the little smoker, Pyro's actually pretty damn likable. Pyro's got a few quirks that'll turn off many people, but Pyro means no harm…well, no harm to those who work with him that is. Anyway, Pyro loves ta tinker 'round the garage as much as I do!"

"It sounds like you work with such a diverse group of guys. Perhaps I'll be able to meet them all someday." Irene said. Little did she know that it would be sooner than she thought.

One day, the doorbell rang on a seemingly perfect Saturday afternoon. Irene was about to start the laundry when the sound caught her attention. When she opened the door, the Medic was standing there, dressed in a white Oxford shirt, brown trousers and matching brown loafers. Irene was surprised to see him dressed in everyday civilian clothes instead of his usual work attire. Then again, this was the first time she had met the Medic in person, aside from the many photographs Dell had sent her in his letters.

"What a pleasant surprise! Is Dell with you?" Irene asked, peaking over the Medic's shoulder to try and see if Dell was in the car.

"Uh, no _fräulein_, he iz not." The Medic said. "That iz vhy I am here…zere has been an accident with ze Engi…uh, I mean Dell." He chuckled out of embarrassment. "Sorry, I have gotten used to calling your husband by his professional title zat it iz something of habit."

Irene nodded. "An accident? Is Dell OK?"

"Yes, for the most part."

Irene grew concerned. It was one thing for someone to get into an accident, but judging by the Medic's tone, Dell must be in serious condition. "I'll get my purse." She said, not needing the Medic to tell her anything more. As they started down the road and where driving toward Teufort, the Medic explained everything to Irene.

"Ve vere engaged iz a brutal fight with RED when ze enemy Spy attacked your husband. After he disabled his sentry, Dell tried to get it back online, but it exploded, causing a particularly nasty injury to his right hand."

"He had mentioned it in the last letter he sent to me…but when I read it, Dell said he wanted to tell me in person."

"Vell, now he can. I know he vanted to come and see you this veekend, but his injury ended up getting an infection. So, per request of him, I vas asked to drive you down to see him."

This was Irene's first visit to Teufort. Normally, civilians were not allowed on the property due to the violence that insured, but at least once a month the Administrator granted ceasefire for both parties…but that wasn't until next weekend.

"Does she know about this?" Irene asked the Medic. He gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Zat woman…can be a _zicken_, a cow, sometimes. But she agreed to move up our ceasefire weekend on account a legionnaire iz ill and that his family must be notified."

"So she does have a heart." Irene remarked. The Administrator was not the most compassionate person she had the privilege of knowing.

"If it concerns her job, then being empathetic about her charges' vell-being is a step up from her normal 'upbeat' personality." the Medic knew first hand that the Administrator was a no nonsense woman who could make one's life a living hell if she deemed you a disappointment. The two of them where quiet for a moment until Irene started the conversation again.

"How's Dell doing right now? Is he in a lot of pain?"

"Some pain, but your husband iz one tough _schweinehund_! I've been giving him some antibiotics to help with ze swelling and ze pain; it's just only a matter of time before ve'll know if the infection's run its course."

"That's good to hear."

Irene and the Medic where quiet again, with only the sound of the radio to keep them company. During the drive, they chatted on and off about various things, but Irene was more concerned about Dell. It was good that he was being properly taken care of, but what really bothered her was the tone of the letter: why was it so important to Dell that it couldn't be said in a letter or over the phone? Never less, Irene knew that seeing Dell face to face would ease the both of them. When the Medic pulled into Teufort, they were greeted by Scout, who had a worried look on his face.

"Scout, vhat iz the matter?"

"Doc, ya gotta come quickly! Engie's not doin' too hot!"

"_Scheiye_, Shit! Scout; take Herr Conagher's wife to ze mess hall and vait for me there while I'll see to him." He turned to Irene. "Don't vorry, he's in good hands."

Irene nodded and went with Scout as the Medic rushed to get to the infirmary. Scout looked at Irene, who remained emotionless as they entered the mess hall."

"So ya heard, huh?"

"Yes. All I can do is wait; nothing more, nothing less."

Scout was taken aback by how collected the Engineer's wife was, but soon noticed that the rest of his teammates were also in the mess hall. Sniper was in his favorite corner, flipping through an old magazine while the Spy was standing over by the window, daydreaming and smoking a cigarette. The Demoman, Soldier and the Heavy were playing cards at the table and last, but not least, Pyro was lying on the circle rug near the TV set, scribbling on a sheet of paper. Everyone took notice when Scout and Irene walked in. Proper introductions where in order as each man introduced themselves to Irene.

"_Bonjour Mademoiselle_, you may call me Spy." the Frenchmen in the balaclava said, taking Irene's hand and giving it a gentle kiss. The Sniper glared at the Spy.

"No funny business now, Spook."

"I was only being polite; unlike you Bushman, I have the manners of a true gentleman."

The Sniper growled at the Spy, but his disposition turned friendly once more when he extended his hand toward Irene, who shook it. When it was time for Pyro's greeting, the little fire starter took everyone by surprise and gave Irene a big bear hug! Irene, a little shocked by how forward Pyro was, calmed the excited maniac.

"Dell told me so much about you. I'm glad to see that you are such good friends with him."

Pyro let out a muffled squeal of joy and ran over to the paper it was scribbling on earlier. Pyro handed it to Irene. On the sheet was a drawing of Pyro and Dell standing next to a sentry.

"Aww, how sweet! Is this for me?" Pyro nodded. "I love it, thank you very much." Irene said.

The Pyro clapped its hands, its excitement returning once more. After all the introductions where made, Irene eyed the door in which he had first walked though. "I wonder what's taking the Medic so long."

"Who knows, but from my experience, the crazy doctor's either treatin' yur husband or feedin' those blasted doves of his; mostly likely feedin' those feathered rats as we speak." the Demoman said.

"Have some respect for the woman's husband!" the Soldier reprimanded. "For all we know, the doc's got his hands full with that contraption on—" The Soldier was punched in the shoulder gently (if you could call it "gentle") by the Heavy. The force of the Heavy's punch almost knocked the Soldier off his feet.

"What in Sam Hill was that for, you yeller-bellied commie?!"

"Engineer said not to tell wife. He wants to tell her himself." the giant Russian said to the Mid-Westerner, who adjusted his helmet that had tilted to the side.

Irene quickly changed the subject before anyone else was going to start a fight. "Say, I noticed the three of you were playing cards. What game was it?"

"Rummy. You fancy yourself a game?" The Soldier knew a good challenge when he saw one, even if it was a cakewalk.

"You bet. It'll make the time go by." Irene said as she sat down across from the Soldier at the table. He picked up the cards, reshuffled them and began to deal the deck.

"We can play a pretty mean game, so it's not too late to back out, sweetheart."

"Oh, I think the three of you will be in for a big surprise." Irene warned as the Demoman, Heavy, the Soldier and herself began their game. After some time had passed, Irene was grinning like the devil as she had won every single game they had played. The three men where dumb founded, if not slightly embarrassed from losing to a woman (especially to their teammate's wife).

"See, I told you you'd be surprised."

"Your husband taught ya real well, I'll give you credit for that." The Soldier said, still nursing his pride from the humiliation.

"I'll take it as a compliment." Irene said just as the Medic walked into the mess hall.

He wasn't as kept as he was the last time she saw him; the Medic's sleeves were rolled up and a corner of his shirt had come un-tucked from his pants. He still had some examination gloves on his hands, to which he started to peel them off and then threw into the trashcan by the door. He pushed his glasses up from the bridge of his nose and looked at his teammates and Irene.

"So, what's the verdict Doc?" the Sniper asked.

"Ze Engineer iz stabilized. He's doing quite vell right now." He turned to Irene. "I told him you vere here and he got so excited I nearly gave him a tranquilizer just to calm him down!"

"Can I see him now?"

"I do believe so. He's still a little groggy, but he'll be better once he sees you."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry about the sudden break in Chapter 5; just felt it was getting too long and wanted to divide it up so it would flow more evenly.

Irene got up from the table and was escorted to the infirmary. The Medic opened the door and let Irene in. "I'll leave you two alone; just let any one of us know if you need anything." he told her and closed the door.

Irene walked over to Dell, who was lying down on a hospital bed, propped up by pillows and resting comfortable. He was wearing a hospital nightgown and had the covers pulled up to his lap. Dell looked paler than normal and had a soft glow from sweating so much due to being sick. His eyes where closed but fluttered open when he heard Irene's footsteps. He turned to her and smiled weakly.

"Honey Bee…you made it." He said quietly.

"Of course, I would go to the ends of the earth for ya." She said and kissed his forehead.

"Sorry ya had ta come visit me at work when I'm not in the best of shape." Dell told her. He pointed with his good arm at the bandaged right hand resting on a pillow in his lap.

"I feel so stupid for not bein' careful…" he trailed off.

"Don't start a Pity Parade on me now! I'm just glad that you're OK." Irene scolded, but eyed the bandaged hand. She decided not to bring it up now and let Dell reveal it personally.

"You know how I've been doing Irene, so I want to know how you've been. You tell me in the letters you write back, but I just want to hear everything from you and not hafta read some piece of paper."

Irene was more than happy to talk to Dell about life back home. The two of them talked about everything from her job, to their families and everything in between. After was seemed like hours, Dell finally decided to let Irene see his right hand.

"I've been pretty nervous about this ever since I had my surgery on it…Doc told me not to take the bandage off, but hell; it's somethin' ya need to see!" Dell said and asked Irene to hand him the bandage scissors on the table next to the bed.

She did and watched as Dell slowly and carefully cut away the gauze that incased his right hand. When he managed to make an incision, he picked apart the bandage and pulled it back, slowly revealing his hand. Except it wasn't his hand…it was something more…mechanical. Irene's eyes grew wide as she now saw what Dell was afraid to tell her in that letter.

Dell's new right hand was fashioned out of hard, black steel (or whatever metal it was) and had segmented finger parts and wires. A pressure gauge and blue colored casting where adored to the wrist that now served as a brace of some sort for Dell's arm. The fleshy parts that Dell still had intact where red and shiny, indicating that the area was still battling an infection and swelling up as a result. It was like something out of a science fiction novel or movie; but instead of reading about it or seeing a cheap prop on screen; the skeletal hand was very real and very much functioning. Dell winced as he moved the fingers, apparently still learning how to control his new appendage.

"This…this is what you couldn't tell me in your letter…" Irene asked and pointing to the machine now hooked up to her husband's body. Dell said nothing, only looking down at his lap in discomfiture. "Can I touch it?" He nodded yes.

Irene carefully placed her hand on the limb, slowly getting a feel for it. The digits and palm of the hand where cold and unfeeling, making Irene uncomfortable. Dell started to clasp the hand around her own and Irene quickly pulled away, not yet ready to have this new object touch her in such an intimate way.

"What is it?!" she blurted out the obvious statement to Dell, who finally had the courage to look at her.

"This is the Gunslinger. It was originally a gloved weapon invented by my grandfather long before I was born." he explained. "He made both a left handed and a right handed model. One day, for some unknown reason, he chopped off his left hand an' implanted the Gunslinger on his body, as an experiment, ya see. After workin' out the kinks, he made modifications to the right hand model, wantin' ta give it to my father, hoping his son would find a practical use for it. My father wasn't going to chop off his own hand fur no good reason, so he packed it away. When I was old enough, he handed it down to me, hoping I might find a use for it…" he paused, looking at his new hand once more. "I just never expected to use it quite like this."

"I take it the Medic helped you surgically attach this…this thing onto you." said Irene.

"It was just after that sentry exploded. The Doc ran over and found me on the ground, hunched over like a newborn baby, cryin' and bleedin' like a slaughtered pig. He took one look at my arm and asked about my hand. Told'em it was gone; had blown up like a firecracker on the Fourth of July. The Doc rushed me to the infirmary and was about to sew me up when I mentioned the Gunslinger. He didn't hesitate to go grab it and slap it on my bloody stump of an arm."

Suddenly, Dell became content. It was as if someone had flipped a switch inside of his head. Gone was a solemn and melancholy Dell and in its place was someone who was happy and satisfied with the events that had unfolded.

"You know, this hand here; it'll make my job a lot easier!" he beamed.

"Wha…what do you mean?" Irene said, taken aback by the sudden change of Dell's emotions.

"Yeah…yeah this contraption's gonna make my job here be smooth like butter! I can finally have a more practical weapon fur takin' out Spies and—"

WHACK! Irene slapped Dell across his face with such brute force that he stood still. He didn't know what to say. He just looked at Irene, her face flustered and her red hair whipped about from the sudden action she had just performed. Her breathing was slightly labored, her dark green eyes staring Dell down with such hatred that he didn't even know what to say to her.

"Irene…" was all Dell could muster before she turned away from him and made haste out of the infirmary. He wanted to go after her, find out what was wrong, but all Dell could do was just sit on the bed, contemplating about his decision to tell her.

The door to the mess hall slammed open, alerting the rest of the BLU mercenaries.

"Where's the Medic?" Irene demanded.

The Medic was busy going through the day's paperwork when Irene stormed in. "Yes, what iz it, Irene?" Irene said nothing, instead punching the Medic in the face. The sudden blow sent the Medic falling right out of his chair and onto the floor. He let out an "oomph!" and put a hand to his face. He felt something warm and wet and realized that Irene's punch had caused him to split his lower lip wide open.

"What the _scheiye_ vas that for?!"

"You monster! How could you not have though out the consequences of your actions?! I hope you burn in hell, you bastard!" Irene screamed at the stunned Medic and pushed her way past the rest of the equally shocked men to exit the room.

Once outside, Irene eagerly looked for a more private place to vent out her frustrations. She soon discovered a small area with what appeared to be large bags of grass seed stacked atop each other under a covering to prevent the rain and sun from damaging them. There she just kicked and punch the bags, grunting and crying until she had no energy left and just collapsed on the ground, bawling like a baby. It was just how the Sniper discovered her, hands over her head, sobbing and gasping for air all while gently rocking back and forth. The Sniper stood a few feet away from her, wondering if she had notice his presence. Out of now where, Irene spoke.

"If you're the Medic, just stay away from me if you know what's good for you." she warned, not even turning around to see if it was him or not.

"Don't worry, I'm not the German." The Sniper said. "I came on my own accord." The both of them where quite for a moment until the Sniper let out a stifled laugh. "You throw a pretty good punch for a lady. The Doc's still in disbelief by how hard you hit'em; reminded me of this one time as a kid I—"

"I'm not in the mood to hear such stories right now." Irene stopped the Sniper, who cleared his throat.

"Alright, but can you do me just one favor then?"

"And that is?"

"Get off the dirty ground and come back inside."

It was then Irene turned around to see the Sniper extending his hand to help her up. She hiccupped and sniffled, but was glad to see that someone was willing to be nice to her after the temper tantrum she'd thrown. Rubbing away any loose tears from her face with her sleeve, she took the Sniper's hand and got up. After brushing herself off, the two of them went back inside. The mess hall was empty, which relieved Irene. She didn't want to have to explain herself to the rest of the team her actions. The Sniper told her to sit down at the table while he prepared some coffee for the both of them. After the coffee pot finished percolating, the Australian grabbed two mugs from the cupboard above the stove.

"I hope you don't mind decaf; regular coffee gives me the jitters an' I can't shoot straight, no pun intended of course."

"Coffee's coffee…got cream and sugar?" Irene asked.

"Sure do."

He went to the fridge and grabbed a small container of half and half. He set the half and half and the two cups down on the table before reaching back to get the sugar bowl. Irene fixed her coffee while the Sniper took his cup black. After enjoying their cups, the Sniper broke the ice.

"So, you saw Dell's hand, huh?"

"Yup."

"Not a pretty site, huh?"

Irene nodded, taking a sip of coffee.

"You know, Engie's been worried sick about this for the last week an' a half. He didn't know how'd you'd react once ya found out."

"He should have thought about more clearly." Irene said coldly. "He didn't even consider how this would affect our marriage."

"How so?" the Sniper was curious about the reason behind Irene's anger toward Dell.

"Well for starters, I could I possible get used to have that thing touch me? When he had his normal hand, Dell's touch was soothing, loving and warm. Now with that metal hand, it cannot feel how Dell's touch will make me react. It cannot feel my body heat, my hair, not even my lips kissing it…"

"That's all physical reactions, it really shouldn't matter." Irene just stared at the Sniper with annoyance. "Are you married Sniper?" she asked boldly. The Aussie hesitated, not wanting to share something so personal.

"Yes." he finally said. "I know firsthand what you're goin' though. Lana, my wife, still cannot get over the fact that I am not home for months on end. I took this job after we first got married. Anyway, no sooner than I started workin' here, she got into a bad car accident and landed herself in the hospital. When I finally managed to get back home to see her, she told me she lost her leg, got it replaced with somethin' similar to what Engie has."

The Sniper reached into his vest and pulled out a well-worn leather wallet. He dug out a small picture and showed it to Irene. It was a picture of Lana, standing over some large animal that she had shot with her rifle. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied in a loose ponytail and hanging to one side as she smiled broadly, proud of her kill. The leg she had placed on top of the slain beast was made of the same black metal Dell's hand was, half covered by her mid-calf boot.

"I reacted the same way you just did now: I upset by the fact that my wife how had some mechanical object attached to her body. It wouldn't be the same touching her now; the leg was made of cold, unfeeling metal. Lana and I fought about it for a few days; me calling her selfish and pig-headed and her saying I was uncaring and absent. However, we soon both came to a realization."

"And that is?"

"We both realized that no matter what happens, no matter how long we are apart, we know that we love each other dearly. Even if one of us had a life altering event happen to them, the fact is pure and simple: We have someone who's got our back and is willing to sacrifice anything to help that person overcome adversity."

"So what you're saying is that I should help Dell come to terms with his handicap and make our relationship stronger?"

"In a way, yes. Lana and I may not be able to see each other as often as you and Dell get to see one another, but when we have those rare moments in which we are able to touch and love each other, we relish in it."

The Sniper was right. Irene though about when Dell first told her about his mercenary job. He had laid everything on the line just to see whether or not she would still want to be together with him. She accepted him as he was and now she was being tested again. She had to accept this new part of him, this mechanical hand that had replaced his original of flesh and bone and not only help him come to terms with it, but also help herself come to terms with it.

"Thank you." she told the Sniper, who gave her a nod of appreciation. "I better go apologize to the Medic for slugging him so hard; although it was kinda funny seeing him so shell shocked from bein' punched by a woman." She let out a small laugh, which the Sniper joined in.

"I agree, it was nice ta see the Medic be humiliated for a change."

The Sniper stayed back in the mess hall, cleaning up his mess as Irene headed toward the infirmary again. When she entered the room, the Medic was with Dell, re-applying the bandages he had taken off earlier, grumbling as he did his work.

"I told you not to take za bandages off, _dummkopf_…I svear I am surrounded by idiots…" he looked up and saw Irene and just scowled at her. "Oh, Herr Conagher's wife. I vas vondering what happened to you after you caused injury to me."

"I just needed some time alone, but I feel better now. I came to apologize to both you and my husband for the way I acted." Irene said, extending her hand toward the German. "I am sorry I punched you in the face, can we let bygones be bygones?"

The Medic hesitated for a moment, but ultimately grasped Irene's hand and shook it.

"Apology accepted. " The medic turned to Dell. "You have a good wife, Herr Conagher. Take care of her well." He said and left to give the couple some privacy.

Irene tuned to Dell, who was about to say something, but she put a finger to his lips, hushing him. "No, don't apologize, you did nothing wrong. This is all my fault. I was being selfish and not taking your feelings into consideration. But you know what? This is just one more hurdle that we need to climb and I want to climb it together with you."

Irene then took Dell's right hand and grasped it into her own the best she could, due to the bandages making it difficult to hold onto. Dell moved the fingers and locked them with Irene's fingers. "That's all I ever wanted to hear from you…I love you." He said, touching his forehead with hers. "I love you too." Irene said right back, kissing Dell as they held one another in adoration.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Irene had finished picking up her mess, happy she finally re-organized Dell's letters. From remembering about her visit to Teufort, Dell eventually got over his infection and gained better control over his new hand. Since the right hand was now made of metal, they had to take extra care not to cause too much damage. Dell came up with a practical solution: He had a pair of old electrician gloves that he had from college and started wearing the right glove over his hand for protection while he was at work. At home, Irene had managed to find some attractive leather gloves at the local Macys and this is what Dell wore whenever he was at home. After that, everything went back to being the same old, same old.

Irene topped the shoebox with its lid and put it away in the closet.

"I think that's enough trips down memory lane for one day."

It was getting late. Irene had a long day. She washed up and changed into her pajamas, settling in for a peaceful night's sleep. It was early the next morning when the front door began to be rapped upon quite loudly. Irene, still groggy, looked at the alarm clock next to the bed.

"Five a.m.…what the hell?!"

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and threw on her bathrobe as the loud knocking continued.

"Alright, alright, I'm comin'!" she grumbled to herself.

When she opened the door, Irene immediately recognized the man. He wore a dark brown blazer over his white polo shirt, khaki pants and scuffed-up dark brown loafers. His military-style buzz cut was starting to grow out slightly and that 5 o'clock shadow was ever present. His bright blue eyes gleamed has he smiled awkwardly.

"Sorry ta wake ya so early. I, uh, would've called, but ya know how work is…"

"Dell…you're home." Irene was in shock. He had just left not even a couple of days ago. The next ceasefire wasn't for another few weeks, so why was he here?

"I know what you're thinking, 'Why is Dell here?'" he said as if he had read Irene's mind. "I'll explain everything once we get inside the house."

The two of them made their way to the living room and say on the couch.

"So, what's with the unexpected visit?" Irene said. "Does anyone at BLU know you're here?"

"The team knows I'm here, but I need to get back before the Administrator suspects why her Engineer is not available." Dell explained. "And the reason why I'm here…I felt guilty fur cuttin' our weekend so short. You were tellin' me that you had some important news ta share with me. When I up 'n left, I knew you were disappointed you couldn't tell me. So, here I am, tryin' to make amends."

Irene was quiet. She knew Dell meant well, but he did go out of his way to make his mistake right. She wasn't going to get another chance to tell him, so it was better late than never to do so.

"I'm not sure how you're going to react to this, but here goes…" Irene took a deep breath and told him. "I went to the doctor the other day since I haven't been feelin' that well." She paused, not sure if she could continue. Dell sensed her hesitance and held her hand, letting Irene know it was OK. "After some tests, the doctor…told me I was pregnant."

Dell was silent, surprised by the revelation. "You're pregnant?" Irene nodded to confirm.

"That's great!" Dell exclaimed, happily clasping both of his wife's hands now and grasping them in joy. "I know we've been wantin' ta start a family someday and now this has happened…I'm gonna be a Daddy!" Dell couldn't contain his excitement. "I gotta let everyone know at work! Oh, this is wonderful, I can't wait for when my little boy, or girl comes!"

The excitement was short lived when Dell noticed that Irene wasn't joining in on the celebration. She remained rather somber and calm.

"What's wrong Honey Bee? Aren't you happy?"

"Oh, I am. It's just…once the baby is here; will you be home more often to help out?"

Dell had gotten so caught up in the excitement that the obvious situation had been completely over looked. With a baby on the way, that meant…

"Oh" was all Dell could say.

"I know. Your job wouldn't allow you a more flexible schedule now, would they?"

"I could get some family leave, but after that…I just don't know." Dell was now in a serious mood, given the newly raised problem.

"You could always leave BLU and get a job, a real job, as an engineer someplace else. I'm sure BLU could cover your past…'discretions', so to speak."

Dell just sighed. He didn't know what to do now. The money he was earning from BLU couldn't be matched at any other job he would apply for. If he were to go back to freelance work, it still wouldn't do them any good: He'd be gone on and off and it wouldn't be a steady income either, especially now with a baby on the way. But that didn't matter right now. Right now, Irene was the most important person to Dell right now and now that they had been blessed with a baby, he had a whole new outlook on life. He smiles gently at Irene and took her hand once more.

"We'll worry about that later. The only thing I want to focus on right now is you and our baby."

Irene smiled back. Dell was right. Right now, it was all about their new future as parents…


	9. Epilogue

Epilogue

AUTHOR'S NOTE: To ChaosandMayhem, please don't be too upset (enough to throw Jarate at me) that I borrowed your choices for the "real" names for the Scout and Spy; just think of it as a another little thanks for giving me inspiration for writing this fic. Those names are credit to you (all others are all official/unofficial)!

It had been five months since Irene told Dell that she was expecting their first child. Sitting on the front porch with a glass of lemonade, Irene had just received a package from the mailman just a few minutes ago. Placing it on the picnic table and being careful of her expanding belly, she opened the cardboard box and peered inside. It was a care package from Dell's team mates from BLU. She opened the accompanying letter.

_To Mrs. Irene Conagher, _

_We here at BLU are all excited to hear that our buddy Dell is goin' to become a father! We hope that you are doing fine and that you enjoy all the gifts we made and picked out for you and your special bundle of joy! Once again, congratulations!_

"Short and sweet and to the point." Irene suspected that it had been either the Demoman or the Soldier (or perhaps the both of them) had written the note. A total of eight signatures where signed on the small note. To Irene delight, Dell's team mates had all signed using their real names instead of their professional titles:

Lawrence Mundy, Tavish DeGroot, Mister Jane Doe (a rather odd name for a man so full of pride, though Irene), Scout Collins (which surprised Irene, since she figured Scout was just his title), Ivan Kazakov, Fritz Klien, Philippe Vidal and Pyro (who still refused to give out its real name) where all scrawled in the many different colors of ink.

The gifts that each of the mercenaries picked out where very easy for Irene to identify as to who the gift-giver was. First was a pair of knitted baby booties from Sniper, who actually knitted them himself (a hobby that he wasn't too keen on sharing with just anyone). The Medic was also pretty crafty: He had sewn a baby blanket made of various patches of blue fabric (the color in honor of Dell's employer).

The Soldier bought an American Eagle stuffed animal while the Demoman had purchased a baby bottle set. Scout, the baseball fanatic that he was, gave a baby-sized catcher's mit and ball. The Spy had given Irene and Dell a rather generous gift: a high-end baby comb and brush set complete with mirror. The Heavy had also given a stuffed animal, a small plush black bear and the Pyro had given the sweetest gift of all: a rattle that was somewhat feminine; it was pink and blue with a daisy painted on the sphere.

Irene carefully put all the baby gifts back into the box and grabbed the letter pad she had taken from the house. She started to scribble out a thank-you letter for the BLU team when she paused to reflect. Her life with Dell hadn't been easy. From their first hurdles at college to Dell revealing his true profession and to his accident to his right hand, Irene knew she wouldn't have it any other way. All that was that had been couldn't compare to what the future was going to hold for bother her and Dell. Whatever the future was, it was going to be bright and Irene looked forward to whatever came her way.

The End


End file.
